Takeaways From the Gold Coast

The World Surf League Championship Tour season kicked off this past week with a pair of events that were exciting, dramatic and entertaining. Here are some takeaways from the Gold Coast:

The Winners: Let’s start with Matt Wilkinson. Snapper marked Wilko’s first CT victory, and he was a standout all the way through. I had a good feeling about Wilko heading into the event, putting him on my Fantasy Surfer team, but I didn't expect him to win the event. The Aussie surfed the minimum number of heats possible in the event, and his backhand was on full display on each day of competition. He’s just the third goofyfoot (Go Left!) to win the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, and he did it in convincing fashion. Some people may point to the Filipe Toledo injury and try to cheapen the victory, but don’t let that influence you. A win on the CT is incredibly tough to pull off, and some really good surfers never get one.

Matt Wilkinson's backhand is lethal.
Courtesy of Rian Castillo

As for Tyler Wright, I have to say that her win was even more impressive than Wilko’s. I’ve had a feeling that we were going to see a new Tyler Wright in 2016, and so far so good on that prediction. She looked great in Round 1 and never stopped shredding. Perhaps what is most impressive about her win is that she had to finish it out with wins over Carissa Moore and Courtney Conlogue, the Top 2 surfers from 2015. Wright seems focused and ready to seriously contend for the World Title this season, and she’ll be wearing yellow at Bells.

*I’d like to give a special nod Glenn “Micro” Hall, who began coaching both Wilko and Tyler this past offseason. He’s off the tour now, but he’s making more of an impact than ever. I dare say more people could be clamoring for his services in the not-too-distant future.

The Upsets and Rookies: The Quiksilver pro was filled with upsets, as guys like Julian Wilson, Mick Fanning and Gabriel Medina were all bounced really early at Snapper. Conner Coffin, Kanoa Ingarashi and Caio Ibelli all reached Round 5, which is basically unheard of for a trio of rookies in their first event of the year. I was especially impressed with Coffin, who possesses a powerful rail game that should net him some big scores in several spots on tour this season. Is this the year of parity in the CT ranks, or was this just a fluke occurrence?

The Women’s CT: The Women’s CT is in a great place right now. There are multiple surfers that are legitimately capable of winning a World Title, especially if Carissa Moore has a down year (dubious). But it’s not just top-heavy anymore. The depth of the women’s tour is only getting better, and standout performances by the likes of Johanne Defay and Bronte Macauley only prove this further.

Johanne Defay showed some progressive surfing on the Gold Coast.
Courtesy of chde.eu

Stu Kennedy's Board: Stuart Kennedy was the talk of the event for most of the week. His board looked faster than any other, and he parlayed that drive all the way to the Semifinals. Kennedy took down Kelly, Medina and John John along the way, showing that he is deserving of the major sponsor he lacks. While his performance was electric, his equipment may have gotten more attention. The Sci-Phi model is actually due to be released soon, and designed by none other than Slater Designs.

Mick Fanning’s Requalification: Mick has said he’s only going to surf select events this season, but he intends on requalifying for 2017. However, with a Round 3 exit at Snapper, Mick may have to surf more events than he wants to in order to earn enough points. Of course, he’ll probably win at Bells and shut me up, so let’s move along.

Toledo’s Injury: Filipe Toledo injured his hip/back/leg/unclear landing an air on some backwash. We don’t have much information, but he was headed from the beach to the hospital for some tests. He seemed pretty upbeat in a quick interview before his departure, so hopefully it’s not that serious. If he is forced to miss any events, it really shakes up the World Title race.

Some post-Snapper rankings that stand out:

Men’s CT

1. Matt Wilkinson: Speaks for itself.

2. Kolohe Andino: I thought 2015 was going to be a big year for Brother. Maybe I was a year early?

3. Stuart Kennedy: He should get a lot of injury replacement slots this season, so get used to seeing him.

5. Joel Parkinson: Parko looked good at Snapper before running into the buzz saw that was a pre-injury Toledo. Does he have another title run left in him?

5. John John Florence: John John looks motivated and more strategic. Every other surfer on tour should take note.

9. Conner Coffin: He was the most impressive of the rookies at Snapper.

13. Mick Fanning: Surprisingly early exit from the three-time world champ.

13. Gabriel Medina: Another slow start to the year is not what the former champ is looking for.

25. Julian Wilson: It was an ugly couple of days for Julian, who didn’t look like himself. Let’s hope he gets himself right for Bells.

Women’s CT

1. Tyler Wright: Could it be her year?

3. Carissa Moore: She didn’t look great, but she still made the semis. Look for fireworks at Bells.

5. Steph Gilmore: She’s back, but she’s not all the way back. Will she pick up steam as the season goes on?

5. Tatiana Weston-Webb: I really really impressed by the young Hawaiian at Snapper. How long until she’s competing for a World Title?

9. Bronte Macauley: Loved her style, and would love to see her in some events this season.

13. Sally Fitzgibbons: Sally experienced her first-ever Round 2 exit this week. Don’t expect it to become a regular thing. 

Follow Morgan, Founder of Go Left, on Twitter @GoLeftSurf